Grendel vs. fire breathing dragons

Beowulf really should have listened when he was told to not let his little bit of success get to his head. He also should have picked different men to back him up. I dont know about anyone else, but the way they just left him to die was NOT okay in my eyes. These men are supposed to be men of valor, men of strength and courage, not men who run away when times get hard. “his comrades, hand-chosen, sons of noblemen, did not take their stand in a troop around him with warlike valor—they fled to the woods and saved their lives,” (2596-2599).

Of course while I don’t blame them, because I would probably do the same thing, I’m not sure why Beowulf didn’t “Hand choose” these men much better.

What makes it even funnier in a way, to me that is, is while Beowulf’s life had just ended the men came to see him, the men who left him when he needed them. “those ten weak traitors all together/ who had not dared to hoist their spears/ when their lord of men needed them most:/ now shamefaced, they carried their shields…” (2847-2852). they knew that instead of sticking around and dying for meaning they are now looked down upon… Wiglaf tells them “Death is better/for any earl than a life of dishonor!” (2890-2891.) Wiglaf would have stuck around. 

I cant be entirely upset about Beowulfs death just because he did it to himself. Really, only Beowulf can be mad and Beowuld for getting himself in to something he shouldn’t have in an effort to prove himself to be this great soldier. He thought because he killed Grendel he could kill fire breathing dragons… and that is just foolish to me. There is absolutely no comparison in my eyes. Beowulf says himself he can handle this has he did Grendel and his mother, with no idea that they were not the same. I mean I guess they both look pretty scary...

But the dragon still takes the cake. 

Always will. No enemies are the same, and Beowulf should have taken the advice he received and maybe he would still be alive, maybe if he took the time to learn his enemies he would have defeated them. I dont know, I guess the adrenaline was cruising through his veins. Beowulf died a very Courageous death, and I feel like thats all he would have wanted anyways, another reason why I cant be too upset over his death. He died stupidly, but with much valor